Gardeners urged to put bowl of water in garden this weekend

As the UK embraces the last of the warm weather, gardeners are being encouraged to create a simple watering station for bees and insects in their gardens to help them stay hydrated

As the UK moves into autumn, green-fingered brits are being urged to throw a lifeline to our thirsty bees and bugs by setting up simple watering stations in gardens.

These pint-sized pollinators play a vital role but could find the impending hot spells quite taxing. The drop in numbers of pollinators like bumblebees has set off alarm bells at the World Wildlife Foundation, with factors such as habitat deconstruction, nefarious pesticides, pollution and the menacing climate crisis to blame.

Keen to reverse the dwindling bee scene, wildlife bodies are pushing for the public to pepper their patches with pollinator-friendly points. Paul De Ornellas, WWF's top wildlife expert, asserts: "Provide a shallow tray of water, with pebbles, branches or bark above the water level for bees to rest on as they drink."

He also advocates for planting petal-heavy patches in cooler spots to shield the bees from the midday sun, reports the Liverpool Echo. Meanwhile, Mud and Bloom, your go-to gardening sage, emphasizes the need to nail the right dish depth – opting for shallower spans that might be topping-up intensive or deeper ones demanding extra pebbles to stop tottering.

A spokesperson said: "Place your pebbles in your dish - this will give insects a safe place to access the water from. You can also add things like shells or pine cones to your dish. Try to avoid things like marbles or glass pebbles as they can be too smooth for insects to grab on to. Then add some small sticks on top of your pebbles. These will float if the water level raises, for example if it rains, so that insects always have a place to drink from.

"Fill your dish with water but make sure that the tops of the pebbles are exposed. Your insect watering station should be emptied and refilled occasionally to keep the water clean and fresh."

For optimal results, place your bowl in a shaded area of your garden, ideally where you've noticed a high volume of insect activity.